Career and Education Opportunities for Sheriffs in Seattle, Washington

Sheriffs can find many career and educational opportunities in the Seattle, Washington area. There are currently 8,690 jobs for sheriffs in Washington and this is projected to grow 12% to about 9,700 jobs by 2016. This is better than the national trend for sheriffs, which sees this job pool growing by about 8.7% over the next eight years. In general, sheriffs enforce law and order in rural or unincorporated districts or serve legal processes of courts.

A person working as a sheriff can expect to earn about $30 hourly or $63,130 per year on average in Washington and about $24 hourly or $51,410 per year on average in the U.S. as a whole. Sheriffs earn more than people working in the category of Police and Security generally in Washington and more than people in the Police and Security category nationally. People working as sheriffs can fill a number of jobs, such as: deputy sheriff, county sheriff, and narcotics detective.

The Seattle area is home to sixty-five schools of higher education, including four within twenty-five miles of Seattle where you can get a degree as a sheriff. The most common level of education for sheriffs is a high school diploma or GED. It will take only a short time to learn to be a sheriff if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Sheriff

Sheriff video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, sheriffs enforce law and order in rural or unincorporated districts or serve legal processes of courts. They also may patrol courthouse, guard court or grand jury, or escort defendants.

Sheriffs execute arrest warrants, locating and taking persons into custody. They also investigate illegal or suspicious efforts. Equally important, sheriffs have to drive vehicles or patrol specific areas to uncover law violators and make arrests. They are often called upon to record daily efforts and submit logs and other related reports and paperwork to appropriate authorities. They are expected to take control of accident scenes to maintain traffic flow, to help accident victims, and to investigate causes. Finally, sheriffs serve statements of claims orders to pay alimony, and other court orders.

Every day, sheriffs are expected to be able to evaluate problems as they arise. They need to articulate ideas and problems. It is also important that they listen to and understand others in meetings.

It is important for sheriffs to notify patrol units to take violators into custody or to furnish needed assistance or medical aid. They are often called upon to place people in protective custody. They also patrol and guard courthouses, grand jury rooms, or assigned areas to furnish security and arrest violators. They are sometimes expected to question individuals entering secured areas to establish their business, directing and rerouting individuals as needed. Somewhat less frequently, sheriffs are also expected to record daily efforts and submit logs and other related reports and paperwork to appropriate authorities.

They also have to be able to oversee jail operations and tend to jail inmates And finally, they sometimes have to investigate illegal or suspicious efforts.

Like many other jobs, sheriffs must have exceptional integrity and be able to deal with stress and deal with situations calmly.

Similar jobs with educational opportunities in Seattle include:

Chief of Police. Supervise and coordinate activities of members of police force.

Correctional Officer. Guard inmates in penal or rehabilitative institution in accordance with established regulations and procedures. May guard prisoners in transit between jail, courtroom, or other point. Includes deputy sheriffs and police who spend the majority of their time guarding prisoners in correctional institutions.

Criminal Investigator. Investigate alleged or suspected criminal violations of Federal, state, or local laws to determine if evidence is sufficient to recommend prosecution.

Crossing Guard. Guide or control vehicular or pedestrian traffic at such places as streets, schools, or construction sites.

Customs Inspector. Investigate and inspect persons, common carriers, and merchandise, arriving in or departing from the United States or between states to detect violations of immigration and customs laws and regulations.

Fire Code Inspector. Inspect buildings and equipment to detect fire hazards and enforce state and local regulations.

Private Investigator. Detect occurrences of unlawful acts or infractions of rules in private establishment, or seek, examine, and compile information for client.

Transportation Security Officer. Inspect baggage or cargo and screen passengers to detect and prevent potentially dangerous objects from being transported into secure areas or onto aircraft.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Sheriff Training

Seattle University - Seattle, WA

Seattle University, 900 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122-4340. Seattle University is a medium sized university located in Seattle, Washington. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 7,560 students and an admission rate of 65%. Seattle University has a bachelor's degree program in Criminalistics and Criminal Science which graduated three students in 2008.

Olympic College - Bremerton, WA

Olympic College, 1600 Chester Ave, Bremerton, WA 98337-1699. Olympic College is a medium sized college located in Bremerton, Washington. It is a public school with primarily 4-year or above programs and has 6,596 students. Olympic College has an associate's degree program in Criminal Justice/Police Science which graduated five students in 2008.

Everett Community College - Everett, WA

Everett Community College, 2000 Tower Street, Everett, WA 98201. Everett Community College is a medium sized college located in Everett, Washington. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 5,765 students. Everett Community College has an associate's degree program in Criminal Justice/Police Science which graduated three students in 2008.

Green River Community College - Auburn, WA

Green River Community College, 12401 SE 320th St, Auburn, WA 98092-3622. Green River Community College is a medium sized college located in Auburn, Washington. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 7,544 students. Green River Community College has a less than one year and an associate's degree program in Criminal Justice/Police Science which graduated five and six students respectively in 2008.

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LOCATION INFORMATION: Seattle, Washington

Seattle, Washington photo by Dschwen

Seattle is located in King County, Washington. It has a population of over 598,541, which has grown by 6.2% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Seattle, 126, is far greater than the national average. New single-family homes in Seattle are valued at $206,700 on average, which is well below the state average. In 2008, five hundred ninety-five new homes were built in Seattle, down from seven hundred seventy-five the previous year.

The three big industries for women in Seattle are health care, professional, scientific, and technical services, and educational services. For men, it is professional, scientific, and technical services, construction, and educational services. The average commute to work is about 25 minutes. More than 47.2% of Seattle residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 17.3%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Seattle is 7.8%, which is less than Washington's average of 8.7%.

The percentage of Seattle residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 37.3%, is less than the national average but more than the state average. The largest religious groups are the Catholic Church, the LDS (Mormon) Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Seattle is home to the Berth 5 and the Akli Point Lighthouse as well as Lincoln Park and Myrtle Edwards Park. Shopping centers in the area include Lake City Shopping Center, Westwood Village Shopping Center and Oak Tree Village Shopping Center. Visitors to Seattle can choose from A-1 Motel, Arlington Suites and Marriott Sea-Tac Airport for temporary stays in the area.